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“A LIFE WORTH LIVING” A LIFE GUIDE TO SUCCESS, HAPPINESS, BUSINESS, THINKING, TRAVEL, RELATIONSHIPS, GOALS, PSYCHOLOGY AND MORE. ENJOY. 3/21/15 ­Jesse Stine Today’s letter is just a ​
LITTLE​
bit different than the others :) My advice is to download this .PDF to your Kindle for future reference. I did. BEFORE WE BEGIN…. PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS PLAYLIST IN A SEPARATE BROWSER WHILE YOU READ TODAY’S LETTER…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR_G1SLPpZ4&feature=youtu.be *I want to publicly thank Jonathon Allen (@JMA_advisor) for volunteering his time over the past 18 months. As you know, I’m a technological imbecile and Jonathan has helped immensely with World40.com as well as managing the friends and family email list. Jonathon is a future financial advisor whose goal is to “revolutionize the way Gen­Y views financial advising”. Thank you so much for your continued hard work Mr. Allen! ­If you feel today’s letter can help change somebody’s life for the better, by all means feel free to pass it along to friends and family. ­If you would like to receive future friends and family letters, you can sign up at www.jessestine.com​
. Good evening friends and family! I apologize for the extended delay since the last letter. It’s been over 2 months and a ​
LOT​
has happened in the market and in our personal lives. What the heck is going on with social media? I just checked and we are pushing 18,000 “followers” on Twitter and Stocktwits. With so many joining the party, we have to ask, are we in a market bubble? In any case, I’ve been in SE Asia on my annual “mental, physical, and spiritual rejuvenation retreat”. There’s something about this part of the world that reignites my spirit. Immersion in nature, constant walking/exploration, $4 60 minute massages, no TV, no phone, no distractions, awesome food (veggies!) from the ground, much less processed food/sugar, meeting interesting people, loads of reading, hiking, and just enjoying every moment in paradise on $30 a day. There’s also something to be said about working in the market at night, putting together my newsletter in the morning, and having the whole day to enjoy life. It ain’t that way at home as the damn irrelevant ticks of the market tend to eat up the whole day! Let’s just say that my stress level decreases by at least 80% working from this part of the world. 20 YEARS. 30 PAGES *The original document was 30 pages. I’ve added Friends and Family commentary as well as quite a few images. But, the principles cover 30 written pages, which is a pretty easy read. As I travel (I didn’t say “vacation”. I hate “vacations”) to rejuvenate mind, body, and spirit, I figured it would be a great time to share some “mind, body, and spirit stuff” that I’ve come across over the years. I first started to become interested in psychology and personal development 20 years ago during a trip around the world on a program called Semester at Sea. One month into “Semester of Sex” while in Cape Town, South Africa, I stumbled across a copy of Anthony Robbin’s book “Unlimited Power”. I was hooked. In the 20 years since, I’ve tried to seek out the best books on human achievement, health, psychology, and success. Since I literally forget 95% or more of what I read or hear, I take a ridiculous amount of notes. If I had to guess, I’d say I have somewhere around 1,000 pages of “success notes” jotted down over the past 20 years. And over those years, I’ve summarized all of those notes…..over and over again. So I figured now would be a great time to share some of my favorite success notes with all of you. Most are from great books I’ve read, some are from audiobooks, some are from blogs and websites, some are universal truths, and some are from my own experience. The books that have influenced me the most over the years have been: “Unlimited Power”­ Anthony Robbins (Probably #1 because it was the first one I read) “The Magic of Thinking Big”­ David Schwartz “The China Study”­ T. Colin Campbell “Vagabonding”­ Ralph Potts “The 4­Hour Work Week” ­ Tim Ferris “The Road Less Traveled” ­ M. Scott Peck “Flow­ The Psychology of Optimal Experience”­Mihaly Csikszentmihaly “The Art of Non­Conformity” ­ Chris Guillebeau “The Power of Now” ­ Eckhart Tolle “Awakening the Buddha Within” ­ Lama Surya Das “Midnights with the Mystic” ­ Sadhguru “The Success Principles” ­ Jack Canfield “Psycho Cybernetics” ­ Maxwell Maltz “Sugar Shock­ How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life” ­ Bennet/Sinatra “The Talent Code” ­ Daniel Coyle “The Power of Myth” ­ Joseph Campbell “The Alchemist” ­ Paulo Coelho “Peace is Every Step” ­ Thich Nhat Hanh “Walden”­ Thoreau “Trading in the Zone” ­ Mark Douglas “Pour Your Heart into it” ­ Howard Schultz “365 Thank Yous­ The Year a Daily Simple Act of Gratitude Changed My Life” ­ John Kralik “The Power of Habit” ­ Charles Duhigg “Creative Visualization” ­ Shakti Gawain “Awaken the Giant Within” ­ Anthony Robbins “Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain” ­ Sharon Begley “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” ­ Stephen Covery “The E­Myth Revisited” ­ Michael Gerber “Buddha’s Brain” ­ Rick Hanson “Man’s Search for Meaning” ­ Viktor Frankl “The Four Agreements” ­ Ruiz, Mills “How to Get Ideas” ­ Jack Foster “The Art of the Start” ­ Guy Kawasaki “Simpleology” ­ Joyner “As a Man Thinketh” ­ James Allen ­Tons and tons and tons of audiobooks from Jim Rohn (the original, the master), Brian Tracy, Zig Zigler (sounds like a used car salesman but still entertaining), Wayne Dyer (not really my style), Deepak Chopra (“McGuru” imo) ­Countless blogs, emails, and internet stuff. BIG​
PROBLEM THE ​
Most of the “stuff” in today’s letter are universal truths. We know all of this stuff deep inside. We’re not stupid. We know how to be healthy. We know what we have to do to be successful. We know how to set goals. This stuff has been passed down through the generations….it’s in our genes…..we know it deep inside…...BUT WE DON’T PRACTICE IT!!!!! Most of us continue to put off the “life we ought to live” for some future undetermined date. Other stuff becomes “too important” and we get sidetracked and perpetually stuck in our comfort zone. We looked down at our “dumbphones” in 2008 and when we look up, it’ll be 2055 and we’ll all be in a wheelchair :( I’ve been studying this stuff for 20 years. I know all of this stuff. I know all of this stuff. Yes, I know all of this stuff. But how the heck do I follow it day after day? This has ​
ALWAYS​
been my problem. I suppose many (most?) of you have had the same issue. How do we integrate success principles into our life each and every day? It’s so damn hard! Right? It sure has been for me. I always have an “agenda” during my Asian “Rejuvenation Trips”. Last year it was to start taking notes for my next book (most of those notes are in today’s letter :) :)). This year, the goal for my trip was to ​
TRY​
to find a way to integrate the “universal truths/success principles” into my daily life. Not for a week, two weeks, a month, 6 months….but for the rest of my life. So….that was my goal for this year’s trip. *Let me preface what is to come next by saying that I’m not making this up. Many of you have followed me since November, 2012 when I first launched my Twitter account. Not once have I ever promoted anybody. I’ve never had any cross­promotional arrangements with anyone. I have quoted Steven Kaplan a few times in my letters simply because our philosophies are almost identical and I am a fan. I get asked to do some sort of paid cross­promotional “deal” just about every week. That’s not my style. All that all being said….. On February 1st, 2015, I threw a Superbowl party some 18 hours before I left for Asia. There must have been 25 or 30 people there. A very recent transplant to the city named Stephen Guise showed up to watch the game. Given all of the other people and the game(!), Stephen and I didn’t have too much time to talk. But he seemed like a cool dude­ intelligent, modest, unassuming, good­spirited….. I discovered that this guy and I had something in common­ we had both written books. Although we differ in the sense that Stephen is actually a true “writer” while I’m certainly not. At any rate, I made a mental note of it and figured I’d look his book up during my travels. 3 or 4 days into my trip, I searched for his book on Amazon and was quite surprised to see that it had something like 360 reviews averaging 4.7 out of 5 stars. I noticed that the book was free for me due to Amazon Prime or some Kindle promo, so I downloaded it. I started reading it and I couldn’t put it down. Fortunately, it read like it was written by a 5th grader (just like my book :) ). The older I get, the more I appreciate ​
SIMPLE.​
I ​
UNDERSTAND​
simple. I ​
LEARN​
simple. ​
SIMPLE ​
truths are good. So many authors try to impress us with their verbosity and complicated prose. For me, that stuff goes in one ear, and out the other. For me, to be an effective learning tool, a book needs to be startlingly simple. Stephen brought the goods and made it all simple to understand and easy to integrate into our lives. I don’t want to give away what the book is about. I ​
HATE​
knowing exactly what a book or a movie is about before I experience it. That ruins it for me. I just want to know whether or not I’ll like it. If you download it (hopefully free), don’t expect to be blown away by it by any means. ​
BUT​
, if you ​
IMPLEMENT​
what he has to say on a DAILY (​
EVERY​
single day) basis, you will be blown away by the positive changes in your life. SO…..to make a long story short, the goal for this trip was to figure out how to best integrate “success principles” into my daily life. Stephen’s book literally plopped into my lap. It was exactly what I was looking for. All I can say about the book is that our legacy, our success….our life….all depend on our daily habits. Master your habits and, master your life…… Here’s the book. And Stephen has absolutely no idea I’m recommending it. I hope it puts a smile on his face:) http://www.amazon.com/Mini­Habits­Smaller­Bigger­Results/dp/1494882272/ref=sr_1_1?ie=U
TF8&qid=1426925490&sr=8­1&keywords=mini+habits A LIFE WORTH LIVING? Do you have to end up like many of your friends and “nest” and become old, fat, bored, and depressed. Slowly dying? Or do you want to truly live? *​
If your goal in life is to live the typical “American Dream” (see below), then you should stop right here, put your laptop or kindle down, grab a Big Mac and Large Fry, and watch reruns of “The Kardashians” :) OR…. Do you want to live a life of constant improvement and become a better version of yourself as you age? THIS… OR…... Let’s begin…... *I tried to condense the principles as much as possible. The simpler they are, the easier they are to remember, and the easier they are to implement into your daily life….. ● THERE’S INCREDIBLE POWER IN NOT GIVING A SHIT. DON’T WAIT FOR A PERMISSION SLIP…TAKE IT. ● Life planning is kind of like planning a wedding but on a much bigger scale. People become mired in life avoidance. The masses are zombies focused almost entirely on occupational planning instead of “big picture” ideas. ● The convergence between getting what you really want while also helping others in a unique way is called “World Domination”...where you live a life of adventure and focus on leaving a legacy that makes a radical difference for other people. ● Live a myth, Live a life of adventure. ● It is not so much that life is short, but that it goes quickly. For life not to be wasted, it demands a level of risk and adventure. If you are willing to live this way, change loses its horror. The advancing person, in fact, purposely creates change. Breaking through your fears makes you free. LEAP ● Not living your dreams has a price. ● Either accept that you are making the choice to stay where you are or take the risk of creating your life exactly how you want it. ● The ultimate success secret is the willingness to burn all bridges, ensuring that there is no retreat to a former, mediocre life. ● Just as there are plays in football that will move you far up the field in one move, there are plays in life that will do the same thing. ● "I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it." ­ Jonathan Winters ● Life is a miracle to be celebrated, not something to be escaped from or avoided. We are all going to die, aren’t we? But are we each going to truly live? ● Screw your story. Everything we say or do has to conform to our “story”. Stop telling it. Don’t get caught up in it. Never think about past or future. Dump the story and experience reality. ● Most people give up just before something great is about to happen. People are constantly fooled by the darkness before the dawn. ● When you are inspired by a big project or great purpose, the mind transcends limitations, consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new and great, wonderful world. Dormant forces and faculties, and talents come alive and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be. ● I propose welcoming in a life of abundance, filled to the brim with things you enjoy doing and that leave a legacy. At the end of the day, I want to be tired....not from a grind of tasks that leave me with a feeling of “What did I really do today?, but with a sense of ​
WOW! ● Don’t wait for great opportunities. Seize common ones and make them great. ● Don't wait until you retire at 65 to decide that you can do anything you want. Don't waste years of your life. Do it now!! ● You ​
DON’T ​
have all the time in the world. ● 99.9% of people aim for “realistic” goals. There’s little competition for big ones. ● The ones who pursue their dreams are the ​
happiest group. They accomplish by far the most. They find life stimulating, rewarding, worthwhile. Look forward to each new day, each new encounter, as adventures to be lived fully. ● Either accept that you are making the choice to stay where you are or take the risk of creating your life exactly how you want it. ● We train our children the same way we train a domesticated animal. A system of punishment and reward. The reward feels good, and we keep doing what others want us to do in order to get the reward. We start pretending to be what we are not, just to please others. ● Visualize a ​
BIG​
future. ● ​
If you could erase everything you know about yourself, who would you become? “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” ~ Ayn Rand ● Imagine for a moment that you could let go of everything that makes up your identity: all your fears and self­doubts, all your past mistakes and experiences, all your family and friends. Taking chances on the things that feel right, exploring opportunities that could lead somewhere new, and believing in ideas that speak to you, is always worth any perceived risk;everything you know will turn to dust soon anyway. ● Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself. ● Live a life of adventure and personal growth. ● To be alive is the biggest fear humans have. Our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive....to express who we truly are. Just being ourselves is our greatest fear. We create an image of how we should be in order to be accepted by everybody. We don’t live up to this image, we are not “perfect”, so we reject ourselves. We feel unauthentic and wear social masks to keep others from noticing this. BUSINESS/CAREER *Just kidding w/ Ryan Leaf. That’s an example ​
NOT​
to follow! :) ● If you work your ass off, one day you will wake up and things will be totally different. ● Be world­class like The Four Seasons. Always exceed expectations. ● Some people never surrender. Maybe 3% of the total live and breathe success. ● To get a lot of people to hate you, all you need to do is make a lot of money doing something you love. ● The greatest levels of contentment and self­satisfaction are experienced by those who have found a way to serve others. ● See the world from a whole different perspective­ as a place where amazing things happen, where billions of lives can be improved. ● Appreciation is the #1 motivator. ● Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. ● How can I make this business happen right now more powerfully than I ever dreamed of and have a blast while doing it? ● Victory comes to those who have developed an ethic of constant refinement and improvement, not to those who worry about the competition. Develop your own strength of character, knowledge, and insight and you can build invincibility. ● Successful business people were usually rebels whose wealth was built on rejection of the status quo.The person who does not follow the pack often reaps fantastic rewards. ● If you ever feel disheartened because you have an idea for a product or service for which you have been told there is no market, remember Ford’s comment that “there never is for new articles”. ● Businesses should offer something that makes lives better, and if they achieve this, good returns will naturally flow. ● Apply things in other fields to your field, in ways not done before. Almost no one starting their first business had any idea what they were doing. ​
The most successful people are the ones that provide the most value to others. ● Give away your attitude​
. This is really one of the most awesome ways you can give to others. Your attitude and positive energy has an amazing effect on those around you. ● To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. ● The greatest discoveries, came from a person who actually noticed something everyone else had seen. ● Questioning conventional wisdom becomes a basic element of the culture of a successful firm. Question ​
everything​
. ● “­He would go into the park and quietly watch the women strolling along, particularly the most confident and elegant, and take careful note of the hats they were sporting. Back in the store, he had these hats copied exactly. Business boomed. Left behind was the notion that “We make hats and try to sell them,” to be replaced with “What women want, we sell.” ● You need to develop an open mind to spot the obvious. This will never happen if you are continually speeding off to the next opportunity, looking for a greener pasture. ● Engaging in any activity that produces flow is so gratifying that people are willing to do it for its own sake, rather than for external incentives. Look for places where you experience flow in your life to steer you toward your passions. ● Great long lasting companies are rarely founded on some marvelous new product. Often starting very slowly, these firms put an emphasis on the vitality and philosophy of the firm itself, from this springs great services and products. ● Jobs come and go. What is your purpose? If you can align your working life with your deepest desires and talents, you will not have to worry about motivation. ● Money comes in chaos, success comes in chaos. If you don't take an action and you're always pontificating and thinking about what's going to happen in life, all the ducks you need to line up, and you're always thinking and planning but never doing, money eludes you. I’m going to put out the best product I can as quickly as I can. And I will keep course correcting and making it better and serving the market space better, more efficiently, adding more value to it as I go….. Take massive imperfect action. ● Chances are, it’s never “too late” to get started on what you secretly wanted to do years ago, and maybe some things will be easier now that you’re older. ● There are thousands of people who are waiting for you to create this one thing, but you choose not to bring it out, and you'll never add the value to their lives that they deserved. "Oh, it's not going to be perfect." Well, you have to remember that there's somebody out there who's hurting more than you who needs your product, needs your solution. There's a lot of people out there who need some support, they need positive energy or they need a solution to their problem. And if you can provide it then it's a big thing and you should do that. ● IF YOU PRODUCE SOMETHING GOOD, MAKE SURE REST OF THE WORLD KNOWS ABOUT IT. 99% OF PEOPLE GIVE UP AFTER THEY COMPLETE 80%. ● Attitude and confidence are literally 10x intelligence. Every highly intelligent person seems to be a computer programmer or a teacher of some sort. Dumb, confident, cocky people run the world­ politicians, CEO’s. ● ​
Create something amazing. ​
Once it is made, and 'out there', it will be producing it's own precession. This is a very powerful way to make a difference.​
Complete your​
​
solution­to­their­problems and get it out to the world​
." ​
Don’t be afraid to be different. On entering any new field, aim to really shake it up and provide new value.​
​
A​
ctively invite and expect rejection. Be controversial. Be outrageous. ​
Take the “leap of faith” that underlies so many great enterprises. Find out why you are here and pursue with passion and enthusiasm. ● Nothing­absolutely nothing in this life gives more satisfaction than knowing you're on the road to success and achievement. ​
Passion builds businesses, not fear. ● Take the view that this is a fresh start and a way to pursue the dream you’ve never had the time to pursue, look at it as a way to learn new skills and reinvent yourself … ● Be a part of the conversation, and say something remarkable. Create something unique, new, beautiful. Build upon the works of others and transform it into your own. Say something that no one else dares to say. Do something others are afraid to do. Inspire others by being inspiring. A writer can churn out lots of words (hundreds of thousands, if not millions), but have his work read by relatively few. Another writer can write a small but powerful blog post or ebook, and have the post be spread by thousands of people. ● ​
Instead of finding ways to do more than everyone else, find ways to do less. If your competitor has a coffee shop with a wide array of beverages and food items, narrow it down: offer just one kind of coffee, but make it amazing. “We sell only one thing: the best cup of coffee you’ve ever tasted. ● When we were children and built our castles in the sand, they were filled with fun. Our adult projects could be almost the same way: full of joy instead of fear, openness instead of defensiveness, equanimity instead of dualism, anxiety and doubt. ● Power of focus­ seek a smaller, well­defined market. ● Clearly tell prospects who you are looking for, and tell them that you’re not going to be like everyone else out there. ● Motivation for your followers is mandatory. Comes in 3 forms: inspiration, education, and entertainment. A combination of 2 or 3 forms of motivation is usually best, but of the 3, inspiration is the one that will keep your army coming back. ● The best salespeople do not “sell” ­ they find out what the other person wants. They talk mostly in terms of “you” and “your”. ● Whatever you do, don’t play it safe. Don’t do things the way they’ve always been done. If you do whats expected of you, you will never accomplish more than others expect. ● The best companies are not just focused on creating great products, but first on creating a great organization in which everyone can flourish. If people feel that they have room to reach their potential, great products or great service emerge almost automatically. A blend of business achievement and personal development. Sam Walton always wanted to be the best retailer in the world, not necessarily the biggest. ● Be the best at what you do and the world will beat a path to your door. In putting good service before money making, it paradoxically guarantees its own profitability.. ● Fortune favors the bold. ● ****Pavarotti­ He’s not selling us the song, he's selling us the love. This applies to everything that we do. ● Top 2 lessons from Billionaires­ 1) Determine the goal, 2) Determine the price you are willing to pay to attain that goal. DREADED COMFORT ZONE ● You have an internal psychological thermostat that regulates your level of performance in the world. It uses discomfort signals to keep you in your comfort zone. To avoid discomfort, you unconsciously pull yourself back. ● One way to stretch your comfort zone is to bombard your subconscious mind with new thoughts and images­ of a big bank account, a trim and healthy body, exciting work, interesting friends, memorable vacations­ of all your goals as already complete. Affirmations­ see things as you would like them to be. Hear the sounds and smells. See the scene as if you were actually living in it. ● Every moment is a moment of unlimited creation. There are infinite possibilities. Create something. Anything! ● Our ​
comfort zone is the most evil thing on planet. ● We are all in self created prison. We continually have the same experiences, thoughts, beliefs, words, scenery. We are programmed on auto­pilot. Do you want the ​
RED PILL​
or ​
BLUE PILL​
? We continually pull back into the comfort zone to avoid discomfort. ● Constantly stretching your perceived “limitations” is most important thing in life. BIG, JUICY GOALS ● “An unexamined life is one not worth living.”­ Aristotle ● We have bundles of wishes and dreams, but unless we hone these hankerings to a sharp point, we will forever drift in a sea of unfulfillment. ● Goals are value neutral; whatever desires you set for yourself, you are likely to achieve whether good or bad. Why not take the time to create wonderful, life­enriching goals? ● People who are very clear on who they are and their mission in life tend to be bursting w/ energy. ● Purpose creates massive energy. ● Write down how you want your life to be and what you want. Write in the present tense. Believe that it is already yours. Have unwavering faith. The universe will rearrange itself to make it happen. ● Write your eulogy or mission statement­ you have a guidance mechanism that will take you there. ● Make a list of things to be grateful for…this shifts your thinking entirely. ​
FEEL the gratitude. Gratitude brings more into your life. Life is all about appreciation­ it attracts. Focus on what you already have, not what you don’t have. ● Set goals. Energy increases and multiplies when we set a goal. Goals cure boredom. What happens on days without goals? Nothing. On those days, there’s a crater in the couch cushion. Set 10 goals and magically within 1 year, 8 of those goals will materialize even if you don’t look at them the entire year. ● Set a goal big enough that you become someone in the process worth becoming. Amazing things happen. One day you will wake up and things will be totally different. ● The paradox is that having some idea of where you want to end up (imagine what people will say about you when you die­ a great exercise btw), allows more spontaneity in your life because you are more relaxed about where you are heading. There is less existential angst. ● Emptiness is a symptom that you aren’t living creatively. Creative goal setting instantly creates happiness and purpose. ● Goals must be written. There is something magical about putting things on paper that increases the probability of it becoming fact. The more detail the better. The subconscious needs details to shape action. You don’t need to worry about the details. ● Journal­ if your life is worth living, it’s worth recording. It’s a way to see and monitor growth. Prevents us from getting "caught up" in the river of life. Keeps us focused. ● Depression grows from not having goals and purpose. ● Whatever goal you give to your subconscious mind, it will work night and day to achieve it. ● Do you “go with the flow” and react as well as you can to external events? Or do you proactively shape your experience though living according to goals. If you decided to change your paradigm, the same territory you walk over every day would suddenly become a new landscape, as from a different perspective, you would be seeing it for the first time. ● People who are very clear on who they are and their mission in life tend to be bursting w/ energy. Winners set goals for themselves in order to be able to live happily in the present. HAPPINESS ● SEEKING HAPPINESS IS A MAJOR LIFE DECISION ON PAR WITH MARRIAGE. ● The law of control­ We are only as happy as how much control we have over our destiny. ● Some of the things we value most have no monetary value. How much is happiness, health, a garden, or a child’s smile worth?? ● 95% of the beliefs we store in our minds are nothing but lies, and we suffer because we believe all these lies. ● ​
One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy; One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself. ● If we can smile, if we can be peaceful, not only we, but everybody will profit from it. If we really know how to live, what better way to start the day than with a smile? Our smile affirms our awareness and determination to live in peace and joy. The source of a true smile is an awakened mind. ● All the happiness there is in this world comes from thinking about others, and all the suffering comes from preoccupation with yourself. ­Shantideva ● Looking back, the happiest times of our lives were times of struggle­ student, training for a marathon, dieting, struggling to achieve big goals. ● Practice writing. Writing is thinking frozen in time. It’s the best way to refine thinking and upgrading the happiness quotient. People who focus on positive journal entries live on average 7 years longer. If your life is worth living, it’s worth recording. It’s a way to see and monitor growth. Prevents us from getting "caught up" in the river of life. ● By far, the best way to be happy is to make others happy. When we achieve happiness on our own, we are instantly unhappy again. With money, possessions, relationships etc., we go right back to our original set point... ● We need to give up “large­scale waiting”. Waiting to be happy when our vacation arrives, when we have more money, a better job, a new partner. We end up waiting our whole damn life to live! ● A fool is happy only after his cravings are satisfied. We have so many cravings that we are never satisfied, thus never happy. Get rid of cravings (especially material desires) altogether and your happiness will soar through the roof. ● Happiness is not a luxury, but the purpose of our existence. Its achievement is scientific and involves discipline. ● A calm mind engaged with meaningful work equals happiness ● Without making a solid decision to achieve happiness, you drift in and out of happiness. HEALTH!! ­Where it all starts. ● Health should be at the top of this list. At the top of the “life pyramid”. Without optimal health and energy, nothing else on this life­list is possible. ● Just as a highly magnetized piece of metal can lift another piece ten times its size, so a highly magnetized person, charged with confidence and purpose, can do at least ten times more than another who is not so energized. ● Small, thoughtful, sensible changes in what we eat and how we exercise gradually produce dramatic changes. ● Follow “The Gas Station Diet”­ Outside of Apples, Bananas, nuts, and water (and a black coffee once and awhile), ​
DO NOT​
, I repeat, ​
DO NOT​
eat ANYTHING you can buy in a gas station or convenience store. If you are ever holding something in your hand and are unsure if you should eat it or not, ask yourself “Do they sell this at gas stations?”. If so, put the “food” down immediately! ● Read “The China Study”. And read it again. And again. And again. Read “Sugar Shock”. Sugar ruins lives without people ever realizing it. Sugar (processed foods) is the root cause of a majority of their problems. ● “The End of Dieting­ How to Live for Life”­ ​
http://www.vegkitchen.com/nutrition/6­basic­guidelines­for­the­nutritarian­diet/ ● The reason exercise is so important is that it pumps blood and oxygen to the brain, allowing you literally to think better and put worries into perspective. ● Diet­​
YOU​
have to ​
FEEL​
good. Feeling good attracts more things into your life that keeps you feeling good.​
Low sugar​
, ​
tons of veggies and fruits​
, calories earlier in the day. Alcohol (especially beer) is the primary culprit of the evil glycemic cycle/roller coaster. Easy­to­digest food at night (fruits/veggies/protein) or you will wake up tired and lethargic. Eat simple non­processed foods from Mother Earth. A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. ● When we are healthier, we see better, smell better, have better thoughts, internal organs function better. Veggies/nutrients/clean diet= energy, vitality, attractiveness, confidence... ● Why run or engage in any physical activity sustaining 140 bpm? To oxygenate body,mental clarity, feel better, more social, greatly improved mood, higher dopamine levels, much better health, longevity, sense of accomplishment, super energy boost, gets us outside in nature, improves body composition/attractiveness, but most of all….energy, energy, energy!! ● Eat mindfully ­ I am good to my body and my body is good to me. Huge link between body fat percentage and intelligence/mental clarity/energy/optimism/confidence. ​
Don’t eat crap. Being unhealthy on a physical level means you won’t function optimally on any level: mentally, emotionally, professionally or socially. Eat crap and you’ll look, feel and function like crap! ​
Avoid all fake processed foods. ● Develop the capacity to enjoy simple unprocessed foods from the Earth. Enjoy the entire process of eating including the lightness and energy when finished. ● Mind food­ The mind is the most sensitive organ­ think about what it’s exposed to ● Nothing tastes as good as health and thin feels. ● AGE BACKWARDS­ Give your body what it truly needs. Connect with your body. Treat your body like you would your baby or your million dollar horse. ● ALCOHOL­Decreases energy, drive, creativity, alertness, increases depression, leads to the dreaded black hole of the couch. ● Cleanse and nurture body, not clog and poison­ human body is the picture of the soul. ● Sugar is the most addicting substance on the planet. Sugar/refined processed foods cause blood sugar spikes and crashes which drastically alter our ability to process and cope with life’s challenges. ● Fat is a security blanket that insulates us from our fears,phobias,shortcomings. ● BODY­ Who does your body belong to? Who gave it to you? How should you treat it? Be mindful. ● Diet changes everything. Eliminate sugar, dairy, alcohol, refined products. An energy­rich diet totally kills depression, lethargy, and gives you immense clarity and confidence that you never had before. ● EAT consciously. Be conscious of the satisfying taste, visualize nutrition, improving health, skin, teeth, mind. The energy of the universe turns into the body. ● LOOK​
at the food you eat. ​
SEE ​
it, smell it. Really taste it. Eat slowly, Feel the energy of it. It will turn into ​
YOU.​
Adds to health and attractiveness. Eat foods your body really needs. Vibrance and radiance. ● Remember that health ​
does not​
equal fitness. In addition to looking good physically, it is essential to have a healthy nervous, muscular, skeletal, circulatory, digestive, lymphatic, and hormonal system. That is true health. ● Don't focus on losing weight. Focus on becoming the person you want to become. ● Focus on eating foods that make you feel good.​
What does this mean? I like ice cream and cookies as much as the next guy. But I hate how it makes me feel afterward. Tired, lethargic, unfocused, etc. Instead,​
focus on foods that make you feel good before, during ​
and​
after you’re done. (so key).​
You’ll never regret making a healthy choice! ● The two day rule!​
You can’t miss 2 days of working out in a row. You can skip one day. But not the next! ● Don’t let the “Exercise Monster” build up.​
When I don’t do laundry for a while it becomes what I like to call the ‘Laundry Monster’. It builds up in my mind and I avoid doing it at all costs. Until finally, I have to. And it’s never as bad as I think it’ll be! Don’t let it happen to you. Follow the two day rule! ● Make it fun​
! Listen to music; join a nice gym; etc. Bonus: If you love working out with music as much as I do, only listen to your favorite music while you workout. I’ve actually exercised just to listen to my music. ● Focus on how you want to feel.​
We always feel energized after we workout. Yet, we usually skip exercise when we’re feeling tired! Remember: Exercise will give you energy. Want more energy? Exercise more! ● Igniting your passion for healthy living­ http://deepexistence.com/why­we­avoid­healthy­living/ ● The $25 per week diet. I followed this diet strictly for 7 months to be in a peak mental and physical state while writing​
IBSS​
. I felt better than I have my entire life. For the most part, I maintain this diet today. I restricted my diet to brown Rice, Oatmeal, sweet potatoes, tofu, carrots, broccoli, spinach, kale, lettuce, green/red peppers, apples, oranges, bananas, pears, tomatoes, almonds/nuts, lentils, brussel sprouts, and zucchini. All very inexpensive. It’s amazing how you can look and feel if you limit yourself to inexpensive super high­energy fruits, veggies, and high quality unrefined carbs. JUST MOVE! ● Unlimited power is not yours until you develop the skill of action. ● Emotion is created by motion. You have to do emotion, it doesn't come to you. ● We are like bikes­ we need to move forward to maintain balance. Always have something to work toward…otherwise you die like a Florida retiree. ● The unlikely fact that doing more gives you greater energy to achieve more is a timeless success secret. ● Have no idea where you are going, but feel absolutely great just to be moving. The advancing person purposely creates change. ● People don't start achieving their purpose until they get into motion. Imagine if the honey bees decided to start meditating and stopped collecting nectar! ● Get in motion w/ other people who are in motion. ● Now! Now! There is only now! You gotta do it, man, and you gotta do it now! So don’t think. Do it! Now ● CONSTANT MOTION. ACTION IS THE DIRECT OPPOSITE OF DEPRESSION. ● Part of being an optimist is keeping one’s head pointed towards the sun, one’s feet moving forward. ● The little people feel that they are victims of some kind of fraud or theft. Yet, this only makes things worse, as their clinging ensures that they go hungry. Meanwhile, the mice move on and find new cheese. Instead of seeing change as the end of something, you must learn to see it as a beginning. ● There are very few “right and wrong” decisions. Make the decision and move forward and make it right.. ● Learn to do it afraid. Feel the fear, then move! ● Confidence comes from action….massive action! Always doing the right thing. Confidence is acquired and developed. PSYCHOLOGY ● The most valuable thing you can ever own is your image of yourself as a winner in the great game of life, as a contributor to the betterment of humankind, as an achiever of worthy goals. Unless you have that image of yourself, nothing worth having will stay with you for long. ● Life is 5% what happens to us and 95% our response. ● Compulsive thinking…..90% of thinking is repetitive, negative, and useless, causing leakage of vital energy. ● Don’t give the problem energy. Give the solution energy. Don’t be anti­war, be pro­peace. ● Seek to eliminate distress at all costs and seek out eustress for growth and sense of accomplishment. ● Learn to love problems. Every one of them has a solution. Don’t be lazy,find a solution! ● The more complex and varied your sense of self, the less likely you are to become depressed or over­stressed in one area, because you have these uncontaminated areas of your life that act as buffers. ● Listen to your internal dialog and argue against it to overcome hurdles. Lazy people don't analyze and fix their internal dialog. They get depressed. ● To be positive is to always embrace life….. and success, happiness, and wealth are attracted to those who are full of life. ● You can't go a day without positive mental re­fueling. You need daily positive energizing.Your former life will seem like it was lived in a grey fog. ● “Have­to’s” elicit stress and “should’s” elicit depression. Count the number of times you think “should” w/in a 10 minute period and you will know how depressed you are. Learn to do everything willingly and watch your life transform. ● We make life hard, but if you let go, life is freeing and abundant. ● Everybody is a victim in one way or another. What matters is now what? ● A clear purpose enable you to see setbacks as temporary. ● Characteristics of the self­actualized person (Mazlow) : Clear perception of reality, ability to detect falseness, acceptance of selves and others, spontaneity, rich inner life, child­like ability to constantly see the world anew, appreciation of beauty in the mundane, focus on problems outside of selves, detachment from crisis, autonomy, independence of thought, interested in inner satisfaction, not status/awards, peak experiences, love for all people, positive view of the world, truly unique, belief in the abundant universe, no response is automatic, free­will, and a want to express fully and completely. QUESTIONS ● In the morning ask “What is the single most important thing I can do today? In the evening: “Who did I help today? How much time did I spend creating today? Did I move closer to my big goals today? How much exercise did I get today? How much sugar/caffeine/alcohol did I consume today? What do I want for tomorrow? ● 1st thing in the morning ask, "How can I make this day more fun than every day before?” How can I connect more w/ others? What can I see today that I haven't seen before? What can I be excited about? What can I be grateful about? ● Can I really do this? Doubtful questions vs. How can I make this happen right now more powerfully than I ever dreamed of and have a blast while doing it?! ● What do you​
NOT​
want to do today? That is what you must do! Do it immediately and flamboyantly! ● If you could erase everything you know about yourself, who would u become? ● Why do you want to live a truly spectacular life? Why do you​
NOT​
want to live a truly spectacular life? If you didn’t know what kind of person you are, how would you be? ● It’s not who is going to let me…It’s who is going to stop me? SUCCESS IS: ● a constant journey of self improvement with no destination. It is a direction with constant progress toward your vision. Achievement of peace of mind, free from fear, a life of meaning with worthy goals, loving relationships, self­ actualization ● the day you find out your purpose for being on this planet. It is enjoying your meaningful job. Success is truly being yourself. Success is creating consistent pleasure in your life and causing self to grow. Success is the ability to spend your life in your own way. ● a life of passion, contribution, fun, joy, living effortlessly and easily, full of unique experiences, craziness, improvement, constant learning, spontaneity, growing in self awareness/realization ,and helping others do the same. ● having huge financial reserves. ● measured by the number of uncomfortable situations/discussions we put ourselves in. ● never retiring. Retirement=terminal boredom/death. ● achieving consistent flow in your work and hobbies. Success is willing to do a job for the work itself. ● having options vs. possessions. Success is creating time, feelings of “flow”, a life of travel, Success is a feeling of being alive. SUCCESS CONTINUED… ● “If you love what you’re doing, you will be successful”­Albert Schweitzer. ● The world has a tendency to accept our own judgment of ourselves. If you exude self­confidence, people will naturally want to let you succeed. ● If you are willing to have people not like you, you will go far. ● Start thinking about your legacy immediately. Begin living your life with that vision in mind. ● The pain is the fuel that will make you different than everyone else. Pain produces hunger and drive. ● The delay effect. The stuff you did 6­18 months ago will appear out of nowhere­ think long term. ● A sunny disposition is worth more than fortune. Young people should know that it can be cultivated; that the mind like the body can be moved from the shade into sunshine. ● Are you willing to be naked? Are you ready to walk unafraid? ​
​
Set a goal big enough that in the process you become someone worth becoming. ● You can have everything in life if you will just help others to get what they want… ● Success is a process...​
“If I skip practice for one day, I notice. If I skip for 2 days, my wife notices. If I skip for 3 days, the world notices.”­Vladimir Horowitz, Piano virtuoso ● ”Greatest successes are those who think the least about it, those who truly enjoy what they are doing and live passionately. The gravy is a side­effect arriving when we least expect it. ● ​
Pay any price to stay in the presence of extraordinary people. ● Adversity quotient is ​
MUCH MUCH​
more important than IQ in determining success. ● ­The secret to a better life is the personal development gained from working hard. It isn’t so much what you gain financially, but the self­worth and self discovery that come from pushing yourself. In slothfulness, you learn nothing. Wake up late and you seem to be chasing the day; rise early and you feel in control. “Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. ● “I hated every minute of training. Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” ­ Muhammed Ali. ● Always ask yourself: “"Will doing this help take me where I want to go?" ● The successful person is the most spontaneous person in the group because he is not set in his ways. Successful people are always continually wondering “What if?” RELATIONSHIPS ● Edwards Deming­ systems expert­ The first 15% of any relationship is the most important. This is where you need to get clear, gather data, check things out. ​
You should know in the first 15% how you'll work together, how you'll resolve conflicts, what each other's exit strategy is, what the criteria are for determining if one person isn't living up to his side of the bargain. ​
At the beginning of any relationship, most people rush in without the facts (the “love drugs” ​
dopamine, ocytocin, norepinephrine and phenylethylamine distort reality) ​
and get screwed. This is 100% preventable. Get clear, gather data, check things out. ​
Establish the right tone at inception, its impossible to reinvent company/relationship culture. ● Seek seekers of light. Relationships are mirrors that show you yourself. ● Go into a relationship with only the desire of increasing the person's happiness. This is true compassion. ● If you do what you did at the start of the relationship at the end, there won't be an end. ● Look into eyes and heart of each person you meet. ● Too often we see a love relationship as the meaning of our life. It can cut us off from a life connected with the rest of the world. ● If you speak from your heart it always goes well. ● Hang out with big progressive thinkers. Find new friends. Stimulates new ideas. Constantly being around old friends leads to boredom, groupthink, life dissatisfaction. ● Find inspiring people­ find others who love the world, who see it as friendly, who are kind and cheerful, who like to play, like to listen, who are students, are in awe of nature and the world, who are approachable, who have no ego, who are open to new ideas, and who make you feel good. ● Our significant other has the biggest impact by far on our level of happiness for the rest of our life. Most people have no idea what they want in a mate. They rely on chance. We need to visualize every aspect/quality a potential mate has­ background, values, temperament, education, how she treats you, how she reacts to difficulties, religious beliefs, politics, physical activities, health, diet, teeth, weight, height, eye/hair color, seeker of happiness?, spiritual, how spends leisure time, supportive, smart about money, security, calm, sense of possibilities, mutual respect, likes self and others, spends time alone, independent, pursues peak experiences, trusts intuition…. Be crystal clear about what you want, then you'll attract it. THE ABC’s….. AWKWARDNESS­ Anything great requires this at the beginning. CLUTTER­ Reducing frees up creativity/clarity/focus, declutters brain, increases attention. If haven’t used something in 6 months, throw it out. Cleaning=clarity. CREATIVITY­ Is your higher purpose. Key to abundance, happiness and much more. DAYS ARE LONG­ Years are short. Take advantage of long days. DEATH­ Kills us once. Fear kills us over and over. EXPERIMENTAL­ Break up fixed routines­new restaurants, books, friends, routes. ECCENTRIC­ Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age. FOCUS­Life goes where u focus. Focus on what excites you. There’s always 1 or 2 things not working. Who cares? Millions of things to feel good about. FORGIVE­Everybody and everything­ it will drain your life. Forgive past, feel present. FEARS­All self created. “Fantasized Experiences Appearing Real”. FLOAT­ We see life as a constant struggle to try to overcome. Feeling something is always missing (person, $, appearance) Let go, relax, stop doing, be here. NOW. Relax and let go.The universe is unfolding perfectly. FAIL­ to settle GIVE­ Compliment on little things, appreciate, smile, give time, energy, volunteer, kind words, care, tell good news, serve others, hope, happiness, broadcast sunlight. GRATEFUL­”great fullness”­ feeling full in every moment. GROW OLD­ Beats the alternative. HAPPINESS TRIGGERS­Petting dogs, smiling, helping, garden, nature, hugging, music HOW CAN I GIVE MORE THAN IS EXPECTED­Ask everyday. HOPE­ Creates permanent happiness. There are always options. INACTION­ Biggest sin, feeds fear,dread. Laying in bed. Don’t think. MOVE! INSPIRING PEOPLE­ DO anything to be around them. JOURNAL­ Positive journal entries=longer life. Praise for temptations not given into. KNOTS­ Untie immediately or they will become tighter and tighter. LAW OF ATTRACTION­ As you become aware of happiness, you draw more to you. MOMENTUM­Tackle biggest task first­builds confidence. MISTAKES­ Go out of your way to make them. MINI­RETIREMENTS­Spread throughout life. Prevent burnout, recovery/adventures. Inactivity is not the goal, excitement is. NEW RICH­ They have time, freedom, options­ the most powerful currency. Old rich are deferers­slaves to the system. Life is over when old rich retire. NOTHING­ Create future from nothing, not from the past. NOW­ Crazy, dangerous, challenging activities force us into it. ORGANIZED SELF­IMPROVEMENT­ Am I more valuable now than 6 months ago? OUTFLOW­ Give, write, express, time, energy, resources. OLDER SELF­ At 60, what would u have done differently at 35? PROBLEMS­ Allow us to grow mentally/spiritually. Welcome them. QUESTION­ Most important­ Will this help take me where I want to go? RENEWAL­ You are completely new person in every moment. Each day is brand new. READ­ Read, read, read some more. Nourish brain. READ­ Books rewire our subconscious mind. TV, media undoes this. SELF DISCIPLINE­Self caring, “Doing the unnatural”.**** Self­discipline is twice as accurate as IQ in predicting student’s GPA. SET AN EXAMPLE SUFFERING­ Suffering capacity defines greatness. SURRENDER­ Yield to the flow of life vs. fighting it. STRESS­Being here and wanting to be there. THINK BIG­ Disraeli­ “Life is too short to be little. Every study indicates that thinking big leads to level of happiness, richness, satisfaction. All about thinking big. TEACH­ Most powerful way to learn­ forces clarification. We understand 10% of read, 20% what we hear ,30% see,90% of what we teach. TECH­ Speeds up time 10 fold, overloads system, affects spirit, clogs RAM. Be bored! TOO MUCH, TOO OFTEN, TOO MANY­ of anything=poison. VOLUNTEER­ Help anyone in need.Focus on happiness of strangers. Smile and help. WHAT’S NOT WRONG? We always ask What’s wrong? Gratitude conditioning. WAKE UP­ On time and full of energy. READ ● Mark Twain: “The man who does not read great books has no particular advantage over the man who cannot read them.” ● Read ​
TONS​
of great, great books! ● ­Leaders are great readers. The gurus never miss an opportunity to relate how books opened their eyes to what was possible. SIMPLICITY ● Get rid of all your “stuff”. Seriously. Downsize to a 500 square foot apartment. Seriously. See how happy you become. Get out. Travel. Today. ● It’s easy to be heavy...hard to be light. ● The best addition is subtraction. Same with stocks, negative friends, technology, commitments. Too much information seriously decreases our attention, focus, and happiness. 99% of information is time­consuming, negative, and irrelevant. ● Possessions weigh on us, draining our energy. ● If you are attached to something, you have a constant fear of its loss. ● De­tech. Technology overloads our brain, makes time go faster­ saps our spirit. ● Outside of rituals, clothes, car, house,status, rehearsed responses, comforts, education, relationship,appearance, routines, title, and possessions, who are you? These things are all drugs. When a drug is taken away, we go through serious pain. We have an externally derived sense of self. Once i I gave up the material struggle, my dependence on external things vanished, life improved greatly, things started arriving with little effort. ● ​
You must learn to find joy in the simplest things. Screw the APPLE “dumbphone”. It’s all about concentration and focus on the little stuff...people, animals, trees, the sun, the wind, the Earth, this moment….The important things…..Most people lose this. TRAVEL! ● Travel is by far the best way for me to break out of my ​
c omfort zone of doing the same damn thing every day. Go to a 3rd World country. Challenge yourself. Today. ● Travel is a density of experience…. like childhood, there’s entertainment at every turn. ● Changing environment reconnects self with spirit. ● Travel forces us to de­tech. When traveling, time slows down. A few years ago, we first looked down at our smartphones…..when we eventually look up, life will be over :( ● The world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page. ● Intermittently disengaging is what allows us to passionately re­engage. ● Most people live in an egg­ they don’t know the world around them. ● One of the great misfortunes of modern life is the want of any sudden surprise, and the absence of all adventures. Everything is so well arranged. We travel initially to lose ourselves, and we travel next to find ourselves. We travel in essence to become young fools again­to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more. ● When you ask, “If you could do anything, what would it be?” One of the most frequent answers is “I would travel more”. MEDITATION/SOLITUDE ● Enjoy being bored. It gives you new thoughts and clears the mind. ● What is the secret of Zen? One word: Attention. ● Seek solitude. That’s where the magic happens. Superthinking! All of life’s problems magically get solved when you isolate yourself from all distractions. ● Directed thinking­ Review major problems facing you. ● Meditation is all about cultivating mindful awareness and attention to the present moment. To get wiser, more aware, balanced, and loving. ● Think of daily meditation as mental hygiene...it keeps you sane and sound of body and mind...open minded, at peace. Never leave home w/out it. ● Love of life in all its forms is a by­product of spiritual development. ● The moment you really start noticing things, you are not worrying about what will happen next or hitting yourself for the point you missed ­ all your energies are focused on this moment, this point. The burst of energy, creativity, and resolve that comes from existing in the moment is what the writer Eckhart Tolle calls “The Power of Now”. ● Spirituality is simply the sense of calm that comes to you when you are willing to stop and contemplate. Through uncomfortable at first, the practice reconnects you to what is important and therefore puts your life on more solid ground. ● Successful people have a good relationship between their conscious and subconscious mind, which they direct to create things for them and solve their problems. The subconscious part of the mind knows how to do a million things perfectly (including running your body). Savants can play a piece of music perfectly if they have heard it only once, such talents do not come from the conscious mind. ………………….. People too weak to follow their own dreams will always find a way to discourage yours. Most people try to improve their circumstances, not try to improve themselves. If you could only love enough, you could be the most powerful person in the world. The best years are ahead of you. The most unbelievably amazing things happen in this world. Begin thinking of everyday as the first day of your life…... And begin thinking of everyday as the last day of your life. How will today be different? You are the author. The pen is in your hand. Your former life will seem like it was lived in a grey fog. Those who don’t give a fuck change the world. The rest do not. The one thing I can leave u with is this. No matter how hard it gets, never give up. …...There is always a second act waiting for you. Good night and good luck everyone! Jesse